Narrative:
The historic appearance of the original building is unchanged. The original design was bold and exciting, and it remains so today, a seamless transition to the newest buildings on campus. The major change of the last few years, the computer revolution, has been accommodated without disruption. Continuing additions to the collections have been absorbed without creating a sense of overcrowding. The building comprises 41,700 square feet on three levels.

The library was named for the donor, N.L. Terteling of Boise, a prominent Idaho Businessman. Terteling Library is significant because, upon completion, it immediately became an emblem of campus intellectual life and has firmly retained that status. The relief sculpture by Howard Balaz, located above the entry, contains the symbol of the lamp of learning. This symbol has been used in numerous campus publications over the years. At night the building is dramatically illuminated, clearly visible from the nearby thoroughfare. This effect was noted at the dedication ceremony, where the library was hailed as "a beacon in space and time."

References:

Attebery, Louie W. Albertson College of Idaho: The Second Hundred Years. Caldwell, ID: Albertson College of Idaho, 1999.

Attebery, Louie W. The College of Idaho 1891-1991: A Centennial History. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Publishers, 1991.